01.23.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:41 pm by PaperDesigns
I like shaped cards that are unusual – a little something unexpected. This is a Bucket Style card that I made upside down, and put gussets in to create a gift bag. So much fun to play with paper!
The blog challenge asks what would I like to see taught as a class. I don’t know. I teach classes, and I ask this question a lot to others, but it’s a toughy for me. I guess the easiest way to answer is to say that I’m going to ScrapBowl ’08 and I’m taking Margie’s Baker’s Dozen card making class. So I guess that must be the class I want.
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01.22.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:13 pm by PaperDesigns
I’m thinking of doing a whole series on “Tips and Tricks with Templates”. This one, for example, looks very straight forward, but there is a little trick to watch out for when cutting the liner shape. I made it backwards, and since it is an uneven shape, it wouldn’t work. I had to cut it out again using the correct side of the template. I think I’d best get started on that, it was on my calendar’s “to do” list!
The blog challenge asks how am I keeping warm with all of this cold weather. Personally, I’m loving it! I have 3 down comforters on my bed, and I sleep like a rock, I just don’t always want to climb out of it in the morning. My cat didn’t even want to get up this morning, she was all settled in. We built the art studio downstairs, and normally it is never truly cold down there, but lately it has seemed too cold to work with fine detail materials (in other words, paper crafting). So, I went upstairs, and asked my husband to exit out of his game and take me to Home Depot. We got a space heater that looks like a wood stove, it wasn’t expensive, and it looks nice. But I think I’ve convinced him that we need to put in a pellet stove – we’ll see!
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01.19.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:07 pm by PaperDesigns
I need to play more with alcohol inks. I love the way this came out – and once I saw how to set up the stamping, I got a ton more ideas. I just inked a felt pad with the different colors, and knowing approximately where I wanted the different colors for the scene, I stamped the ink directly onto the glossy cardstock. Then, looking at the background colors, I inked my Scene stamp with archival ink, and stamped where I thought it would look best. I can see doing this with butterflies and sentiments, etc – I’m sure it’s endless. I just need to go play more!
The blog challenge question asks what will I never do again, and why. I started scrapbooking, like a lot of people, with Creative Memories, and I was horrible, my creations were horrible. I couldn’t make a layout with plain papers and stickers that I liked. I became very discouraged, and I still shudder when I look at those old layouts. So, I will never attempt to create art that I don’t like, if I don’t like the style, I’ll skip it and work with mediums and techniques that I do like. It took me many years to get back into scrapbooking after my early failures, and I need to just stay true to what I like, and what I want to create.
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01.17.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:18 am by PaperDesigns
I’ve been dabbling in Digital Scrapbooking ever since I got my ScrapWow website, I can still showcase my traditional layouts (as scans) but I love the convenience of scrapping everything on the computer – especially since that is where my photos are. The Blog Challenge asks if I back up my photos – my answer is YES, and often. I also back up my digital scrapbooking kits, my digital layouts, and my scans of my traditional layouts. Actually, I continually back up everything that I value on my hard drive. I just couldn’t bear it if I lost any of it!
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01.16.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 3:30 am by PaperDesigns
I’ve been hashing this idea over with my friend, Linda, and we’re both looking for ways to keep updating our blogs and write about things that people want to read. We are both very interested in using the supplies/tools/techniques that we have and finding out how other people use these things. SO….. How about a blog challenge that you answer on your blog! Just post a quick comment here to let people know where your blog is, and we’ll just keep it going from there! I’ll start a new thread over on 2 Peas, and you can leave your comment there with the link to your blog, if you wish – or both.
Also, anyone wishing to have their blog post (or projects/instructions) put up permanently in the archives with the original article – please just email me and I’ll get it uploaded with the permanent links to your blog.
So….. our first one? What’s your favorite use of Wet Embossing? Personally, I use it all of the time. Not only do I love how it looks, but it serves so many purposes.
Here’s the card from the article after it was hand painted and then finished with a brayered layer of multi-color ink.
Now feel free to join in and post on your blog what or how you use embossing, then leave a comment here that you posted something and a link to your blog and/or post to the challenge thread at 2 Peas. Soon we’ll have people “blog hopping” to see what ideas we all have!
The next topic will be “Sewing on Paper” – you can see here how I’m setting it up. I think this will be great, and the point is to share our knowledge and have people come visit us on our blogs, as well as just having some great things to write about! I hope you’ll join in – the more the merrier!
I’ve rearranged the ‘categories’ on the right to fit the post topics. They’re called “labels” if you’re using Blogger.
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Posted in Uncategorized at 1:38 am by PaperDesigns
This is my rendition of an Explosion Box. I just love it, and it was so easy to make. It’s a Match Box Style box and it fits inside it’s sleeve…
I posted the instructions and “how to” over here: My Version Of An Explosion Box
I can’t wait to get started making more of them…. there’s Mother’s Day, and my Grandma’s Birthday….
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01.15.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 12:36 pm by PaperDesigns
This is a card I made for my Stampin Up demo class. I’m so glad SU changed their angel policy!
The blog question asks if I try to keep up with all the new trends in scrapbooking/paper crafting or do I just go with the flow?
A little of both, I guess, but I don’t buy anything I won’t use. There have been ‘trends’ that I just didn’t like – certain patterns or themes, tools that don’t work or the task can be better accomplished with a different tool. So I try hard to not waste money on trends. There are, however, some things that are trendy – because they’re great, and people are talking about them – because they work well and have aided in the crafting. Those are the kinds of trends I say I follow. If something is going to do something that no other machine does, or a patterned paper that is so gorgeous I just have to use it – then, yes, I try to pick some up the next time I’m out.
But, that said, this brings me back to an idea that I’ve been working on since the New Year. I want to have a Blog Challenge for “using your old stuff”. I want to post articles (one a month?) on Paper Designs By Barbara about a tool or technique, and how I use it and why I bought it, and show projects - and then have people post their projects using the older stuff. I still use punches, eyelet setters, paint, foam stamps, Sizzix, etc – every day. Then I read posts about “is using rub ons still in?” – well it is at my house! But maybe I have found other uses for them – maybe you have great projects that you’ve used them on. I’d like to start singing the praises of the ‘old stuff’. Please let me know if you have any ideas on how to put this together.
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01.14.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:12 pm by PaperDesigns
Once you get one – it becomes work! I’ve had some jobs that ‘ate my soul’ – that’s what I consider a job I shouldn’t be doing – not that it was a ‘bad job’ – it was just for someone who didn’t care. I’ve had jobs where the admin staff was so wrong and out there, that I couldn’t cope with that much stupidity in my chain of command. So, sometimes, “dream jobs” have more to do with those you work with, rather than what you’re doing.
So, now, I get to create with paper and get paid. I love it, I created the company, I should say that I have my dream job. Except, 2 things – 1) it doesn’t pay the bills, in fact, I’m quite sure I spend more than I make on supplies alone! and 2) it isn’t enough to keep me busy. I did just start being a Stampin Up demonstrator, and I’m teaching a lot more classes this year – so we’ll see if I can ‘up the ante’ a little here in ’08. Certainly, I can get more items in the Etsy Store, and just up my productivity in general. So my “dream job” would be my current job – if it were just more successful!
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01.13.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 2:01 pm by PaperDesigns
I admit it…. I see the papers and embellishments come out at the CHA and I wait…. and then I start scouring the stores…… and then I get frustrated that I can’t find them anywhere!
The blog challenge question asks: what item do I wish I could find at my Local Scrapbook Store?
Well, there were quite a few items I was looking for from the summer CHA, that I never found. EK Success came out with Christmas Staples for the Fascinator – nope, never found them anywhere. All the new Cuttlebug dies – I guess I’ll keep waiting. Hot Off the Press decided to start making clear stamps – they are really cute – nope, no where…. had to get them off EBay. The newest papers. Now, I realize that the LSSs cannot carry every new item. The minimum purchase order for some retailers is enormous and unreasonable – so they just can’t buy that much. I get that, and truly, I’m not complaining. But I was a little frustrated that I couldn’t ever find these things.
I guess, too, that I wish more LSS carried the Green Sneakers templates – and then I would be happy to teach classes using those templates. I’m always finding new projects to make from them.
Another blog post I’d love to write about though would be….. What items are you thrilled that your LSS carries? That would be a longer list than the few items I couldn’t find!
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01.10.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 9:43 pm by PaperDesigns
Okay, dear Linda had “tagged” me once, and being quite ‘out of the loop’ – I didn’t know what it was and didn’t do it. Sorry, Linda!!! So, now I think I get it, and…..All of the questions have 2 answers. After answering all the questions here, add one question of your own (this tag started with 4 questions) and then tag 2 people. Simple enough? I am tagging Kimmie and Heather!
1. Name your 2 favorite scrapbooking topics:
a. my children
b. nature/scenery
2. What are the 2 best places you’ve been to?
a. Munich
b. Salzburg
3. Name 2 things you do every day:
a. breathe (of which I’m grateful)!
b. cook
4. Tell us 2 things that pretty much everyone knows about you.
a. I love my children
b. I love to make cards
5. 2 places you wish to visit:
a. Scotland
b. Mayan Ruins – South America
6. 2 things you may not know about me are:
a. I home schooled our autistic son through the 6th grade. He’ll be graduating at the top of his Senior class in HS this May. Yes, I’m buying the Kleenex now!
b. I’m an absolute FANatic for all New England Sports teams (Red Sox, Patriots, and all UConn Sports)!
7. 2 nicknames you’ve had at some time in your life:
a. Baba – there are still family members who call me this – I try not to see them!
b. Babs – not a favorite of mine.
8. Name 2 of your favorite drinks:
a. Before 5pm – Water
b. After 5pm - Corona or White Zinfadel
9. What are 2 interesting (in a good or bad way) jobs you have had in your life?
a. I bar tended my way through college. Not a good thing, I ‘d drive home at 3am alone, dead tired, and smelling completely like cigarette smoke – and I didn’t smoke!
b. I work for Nick Romer (Green Sneakers - Kreate-A-Lope.com and ScrapWow) – it’s a fantastic job, he’s a great boss, and I get to play with paper all day!!
10. What are your top 2 fun things to do after work?
a. Wrap up in a blanket on the couch and watch a great sports game. I cheer so loudly that everyone else just clears out and leaves me alone! Including the pets!
b. After a full day of crafting for professional reasons, I like to make crafts for myself and my family.
11. What are 2 things I would like to learn:
a. Farsi – My husband speaks it, and the kids are catching on when we speak German.
b. Web Site Promoting
12. What are the last 2 songs you downloaded or last 2 CD’s you bought?
a. Leonard Bernstein conducting the New York Philharmonic with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir – best ever Christmas CD
b. Soundtrack to “Enchanted”
13. Name 2 movies you could watch or you have watched 100 times in your life and still watch again, no problem:
a. A Muppet Christmas Carol
b. Spies Like Us
14. What’s your favorite 2 lines from the movies?
a. Make My Day – Clint Eastwood, Dirty Harry
b. I want to thank you for making me a part of this - Rizzo the Rat, A Muppet Christmas Carol
Have fun! I went back and read the answers other people put on their blogs. This is a great idea.
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